The LWF and Namibia’s quest for independence

The Namibian churches and the LWF played a vital role during Namibia’s struggle for independence. Under South African rule, the policy was to divide people along racial and tribal lines. The churches were virtually the only organizations that brought people together inside Namibia. It was largely through the church that black Namibians could have access to education, health care, human dignity and democratic decision-making. The church also gave black Namibians contact with the world at large. The LWF walked in solidarity with the Namibians through humanitarian assistance for refugees, project support for the churches, scholarships, and extensive advocacy. It is fair to say that the UN transitional peace plan could not have succeeded without the active support and cooperation of the church. Given the LWF’s long and strong links with Namibia and Namibian refugees, it was no surprise that UNHCR and the Namibian churches asked the LWF to have a role in the repatriation of refugees. A part of UN Resolution 435 called for Namibian refugees to return home in time to be able to participate in the transition process and vote in the elections. The Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN) had overall responsibility for implementing the Repatriation, Resettlement and Reconstruction (RRR) program. LWF World Service provided financial and technical support, particularly in the areas of administrative and financial systems, design and construction of refugee reception centers, and distribution of food and supplies to resettled refugees. The repatriation operation in 1989 was a great success, with more than 41,000 Namibians able to return home in safety and dignity. The following photos were taken during the year prior to Namibian independence on 21 March 1990.

Women of the Lutheran Communion in Namibia

“Women are the backbone of the life and work of the Churches in Namibia” writes Bishop SVV Nambala in the History of the church in Namibia. Learn more about women who made the Lutheran communion in Namibia in this photo gallery. #womenonthemove

Photos from LWF History's post

IN THE LAND OF THE TWELFTH ASSEMBLY The first Christians At the end of the XIX century, Namibia's King Kambonde Mpingana of the Ndoga tribe had confidence in missionary Rautanen. Each member of chiefs's families became Christians and many people came forward to be baptized and a solid foundation for the first congregation was laid. The first church at Olukonda was inaugurated in 1888. Wherever a mission station was established in the late 19th century, the first building project was that of the church, which at the same time served as a school, during the week. Preaching in the church on Sundays was always combined with education activities during the week i.e. classes in reading, writing and catechism for the adults as well as for the children (from the book of Bishop Nambala and GL Buys: History of the Church in Namibia)

Timeline Photos

THE LUTHERAN COMMUNION CLOUD OF WITNESSES: Rev. Dr Günther Gassmann, Theology Doctor of the Heidelberg University and reknown international Lutheran theologian was famous for his sense of humour. God has called him back among the great theologians which preceeded on 11 January 2017...Born on 15 August 1931, he was a pastor of the Evangelische Kirche Hamburgischen Staate (Evangelical Lutheran Church in the State of Hamburg), in Germany. In 1970, he participated as an adviser to the Fifth LWF Assembly in Evian, France as he by then was research professor at the Institute for Ecumenical Research in Strasbourg. He served at the Ecumenical Institute from 1.04.1969 to 31.10.1976, then returned to Germany. On 1.06.1982 until 31.12.1983 he was appointed Associate Director of Department of Studies at the Lutheran World Federation prior to become the World Council of Churches director of Faith and Order (1984-1994), in the post BEM (Baptism, Eucharist, Ministry) era and the architect of the 5th Faith and Order World Conference on Koinonia, in 1993. Soon after he retired in Tutzing, Germany and continued to serve as a visiting professor on the theological faculties in Tartu- Estonia, Riga-Latvia, Sao Leopoldo-Brazil, Rostock-Germany, in Rome at the Dominical University, in Bratislava-Slovakia, at Gettysburg-USA. He published many books, one of his latest contribution to world Lutheranism was the "Historical Dictionary of Lutheranism". His wife Ulla interpreted for numerous LWF assemblies and conferences. To the family, we express our deep communion of thoughts and prayers. Photo credit Peter Williams

Photos from LWF History's post

IN THE LAND OF THE TWELFTH ASSEMBLY The first missionaries In the early XIX century, history has witnessed in Namibia the commitment of Christian men and women who have followed the commission of Jesus Christ by leaving their homes, families, communities and countries to go to unknown lands and peoples preaching the Good News.The first permanent Christian mission in Namibian history was established by two German brothers in 1806, soon followed by Finns. In these early days, the tribes were nomads and the first question missionaries were confronted with: "How can a nomadic people be christianized, if they never settle down at one church or tribal centre?" (From the book of Bishop SVV Nambala and GL Buys: History of the Church in Namibia with FELM pictures)

Timeline Photos

THE LUTHERAN COMMUNION CLOUD OF WITNESSES: The LWF gives thanks to God and celebrate the life, work and witness of Rev. Michel Hoeffel, former president of the French Eglise de la Confession d'Augsbourg d'Alsace et de Lorraine in Strasburg who died January 2017. Executive Committee member of the LWF, from the Eighth Assembly in Curitiba 1990 which he attended as a delegate of his church, to the Ninth Assembly in Hong Kong 1997, Michel Hoeffel served the LWF more specifically as chairperson of the Committee for Communication Services.

Timeline Photos

THE WOMEN WHO MAKE THE LUTHERAN COMMUNION Virginia A. Ivanez Ribeiro from the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Venezuela (IELV), offering a response to the LWF 2003 Assembly theme: For the healing of the world: a challenge for Latin America and elected LWF Council member, 2003-2010. "In 1997, I started working as a Nacional Women Coordinator for the IELV. I have been travelling visiting all the congregations and meeting women, listening to their needs and trying to together find alternative proposals, reading the Bible with a gender vision, organizing national gatherings and - for the first time - a national women committee. Our decisions were heard by the IELV council members and some things started changing. We got international donations and with this money we built rooms in some congregations that later were used for women and children education. We were empowering us! At the same time I was participating in international women gatherings, learning from other sisters and sharing all of this knowledge in Venezuelan women groups. I became member of the IELV council, some periods as a vice president of the church. In 2003, during the X Lutheran Assembly in Winnipeg, I was elected for one period as a LWF Council Member. Immediately I got involved in Human Rights and International Affairs Committee, participating with deep concern on the issues of other peoples, helping spreading their clamor, sometimes visiting them…being part of their lives…walking in their shoes…"

World Service in South Sudan

World Service in South Sudan - historic pictures.

Photos from LWF History's post

#Reformation2017 At the diet of Worms, a general assembly of the estates of the Holy Roman Empire, which took place 28 January to 25 May 1521, Luther appeared in front of Emperor Charles V. Prince Frederick III, elector of Saxony had obtained a safe conduct for Luther to and from the meeting. There Luther was declared an outlaw, his literature banned and called for arrest but disappeared on the way back to Wittenberg. For his security, Luther was in fact housed at the Wartburg castle, near Eisenach. Reformer Martin Luther, persecuted by the Church and by the Emperor, lived at Wartburg castle from May, 4th 1521 to March, 1st 1522 where he translated the New Testament from Greek into German so that the people too could have access to the Scriptures, under the pseudonym of "Junker Jörg", unifying also the German literary language above all dialects. On the table dating back to Luther's time, there is the Reformer's Bible which was printed in 1541 in Wittenberg by Hans Lufft and which contains original annotations by Martin Luther, Melanchton and others. Inside the castle was particularly a beautiful room for singing. "A Mighty Fortress is my Lord" is one of the best loved hymns of the Lutheran tradition. It has been called the "Battle Hymn of the Reformation" for the effect it had in increasing the support for the Reformers.

Photos from LWF History's post

REFORMATION 2017: After a stay at the closed Augustinian cloister in Erfurt, Martin Luther was ordained as a Catholic priest in 1507 and in 1508, he was appointed in Wittenberg by the Augustinian Order to the monastery which was closely linked to the newly founded university. He established himself there as a university professor and as a monk. The Wittenberg university was created in 1502 for Augustinian monks who both were teaching and studying. Martin Luther received a bachelor's degree in biblical studies on 9 March 1508 and in 1512 was awarded his Doctor of theology, received into the senate of the theological faculty and spent the rest of his career in this position at the University of Wittenberg. After the dissolution of the monastery in 1522, at the beginning of the Reformation, Martin Luther continued to live there. The famous room on the first floor got furnished by Luther around 1535. There his assistants and students used to take note. On 31 October 1517, Luther wrote to his bishop Albert of Mainz, protesting the sale of indulgences. He enclosed in his letter a copy of this "Disputation of Martin Luther on the power and efficacy of indulgences" which came to be known as the ninety-five theses, then posted on the door of the Castle's church of Wittenberg.View the historical town's centre of Lutherstadt-Wittenberg with the town hall in the Renaissance style and the Palace Church in the background. As the town of Luther, Wittenberg has enjoyed worldwide reputation for several centuries. (LWF Photo Archives)

REFORMATION 2017: In 1483, Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Saxony-Anhalt (Germany) and in Eisleben he also died in 1546, in this house at No 7, Saint Andrew Church's place. At the Eisleben market place, stands since 1882 a Luther monument, created by artist Rudolf Siemering, to remember Luther's birth and death and celebrate his life. (LWF Photo Archives)

Timeline Photos

THE YOUTH WHO MADE THE LUTHERAN COMMUNION: "Forward with Luther!", the LWF History wishes all followers a blessed New Year 2017 and Reformation 500 celebrations! Luther as a young leader’ bronze sculpture is on display at the LWF headquarters, Geneva. It was carved by German artist Knud Knudsen (1916-1998), a Berlin sculptor and painter who comments on his work: “From time to time all religions, especially in their churches, need people who can renew them. I have always regarding the Augustinian monk Dr. Martin Luther as a symbol of reform, not of protest. Instead of the usual symbolical sculpture of a corpulent, smug, Christian supporting the alliance between the Church and the territorial princes, - “a throne and altar Christian”, with upturned eyes, I wanted to portray a Roman Catholic monk, slim, energetic, striding ahead, going in among the masses to look for the language used by ordinary folk. That kind of élan, I reflected, could sweep even doubters along with it and give clear meaning to a church’s missions”. Young Luther was freed by God’s love to change the world and inspired many many generations until the 21st century and beyond! To quote former LWF President Josiah Kibira "Martin Luther is “500 years young” and it is our task to carry the message of Jesus’ free mercy as Martin Luther has clarified it to this generation.” #Reformation2017